Storm, thanks to Bird’s clutch performance, to face Mystics in WNBA finals
Sue Bird was on the brink of seeing maybe her last good chance at getting to the WNBA Finals evaporate. She was playing with a broken nose, her team was playing from behind for almost all of Game 5, and against her rival and friend that never loses in these situations.
And to make matters worse, Bird couldn’t find her shot, missing eight consecutive attempts.
It made what Bird accomplished during a 5-minute stretch of the fourth quarter on Tuesday night in lifting the Seattle Storm past the Phoenix Mercury 94-84 in Game 5 one of the best performances of her career at any level. She scored 14 of her 22 points in a brilliant closing statement that allowed Seattle to finally shake its longtime rivals and send Diana Taurasi to her first career loss in a winner-take-all game after 13 wins.
“This is up there,” Bird said. “I don’t know that I’ve had a fourth quarter like this in as big of a game in my life.”
Bird made 5 of 6 shots in the final 6 minutes as Seattle overcame an 11-point first half deficit and advanced to the finals for the third time in franchise history. Bird has been there for each of those finals trips; the previous two bringing Seattle the two league titles it owns.
It was appropriate the longest tenured Storm player was the one lifting Seattle back to the championship series, with plenty of help from league MVP Breanna Stewart, who had a game-high 28 points. Seattle will face Washington in the finals. Game 1 is Friday in Seattle.
“To be here now in some ways is probably sweeter than the other two just because I didn’t think it was going to happen. But here we are,” Bird said.
The Mystics are in the WNBA finals for the first time in franchise history. Elena Delle Donne came to Washington last year to try and lead the Mystics to a championship. She has them one step away.
“D.C.’s become home to me,” said Delle Donne, who grew up about two hours north in Delaware. “Now we need the city to rally behind us because we’re not finished yet.”
Delle Donne, like Bird, helped Washington win a decisive Game 5 while overcoming an injury from earlier in the series. Delle Donne sustained a bone bruise in her left knee during Game 2 that forced her to miss Game 3.
Washington rookie Ariel Atkins was instrumental, leading her team with 20 points and seven rebounds Tuesday in an 86-81 victory over Atlanta.
“My goodness did Ariel Atkins step up for us. She’s not a rookie,” Delle Donne said.
FIRST-TIME WINNER
Either Washington coach Mike Thibault or Seattle coach Dan Hughes will win his first WNBA title. Thibault had reached the finals twice before with Connecticut in 2004 and 2005 before falling just short. The 2004 loss came against Bird and the Storm.
Hughes had one shot at a title in 2008 when he was coaching in San Antonio before the Silver Stars lost to the Detroit Shock.
FITTING SHOWCASE
After a regular season that featured parity around the league, it was fitting both semifinals came down to decisive games.
“It’s great for the league. The more we can be on television and be visible, it’s a good thing. So, I think this year shows just how equal the league is,” Mystics star Kristi Toliver said.
“All the teams are really, really great. We should be very thankful and lucky – well, not lucky, we earned the right to be here – but it’s a tough league. For this series to go to five, for Phoenix and Seattle to go to five, it’s just the female players in the world doing what they do. And it’s great that everybody gets to see that.”